Research Information System
Journal of Cultural Heritage, vol.79, pp.192-198, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, AHCI, Scopus)
Indisputable attribution of paintings is the crucial challenge of art-historical studies. Revealing more detailed information on the biography of painters may help in the attempts to attribute artist’s methods and techniques, however several uncertainties concerning the authenticity of art objects still may remain. This problem requires applying a multidisciplinary approach that includes dendrochronology as a means of providing the chronological order. The examined panel was analyzed within a broad comparative framework that integrates Baltic oak reference chronologies, securely dated wood datasets, and dendrochronologically examined comparative artworks. The dendrochronological study of the painting Crowning with Thorns provided an independent and secure dating of the oak panel - terminus post quem shortly after 1604. Crucially, the analysis of the panel’s wooden crossbeam, which preserved a long and well-defined sapwood sequence, enabled a precise determination of the felling date in the winter of 1607/1608. Comparative dendrochronological analyses with other works attributed to Herman Han, as well as with Flemish paintings previously studied by Peter Klein, revealed significant correlations and further support the proposed dating and timber provenance. While the dendrochronological evidence does not conclusively resolve questions of authorship, it substantially strengthens the chronological framework for attribution found in written testimonies and clarifies the painting’s material history. The study highlights the importance of analyzing complete panel constructions and demonstrates the value of integrating scientific dating methods with art-historical and technical research in cultural heritage studies, offering new insights into works of uncertain attribution and advancing their scholarly interpretation.